This invention relates to the field printer apparatuses and methods for using the same, and, more particularly, to the field of printer apparatuses which are adapted to print an image captured by a digital device such as a digital camera or scanner.
Devices which can capture and digitally store an image on a flash memory card are becoming more commonplace as the cost of these devices and their attendant memory cards continues to decrease. In addition, devices such as digital cameras and scanners are becoming more popular as the resolution of the images captured by these devices continues to improve and approach the quality of traditional film photography.
However, a user of the digital camera must still process the images captured. For example, the user of the digital camera must often tackle the daunting task of processing and printing any digital images captured by the camera. This can include transferring graphic files from the flash memory card to the computer and the subsequent printing of the images from the computer. Also due to the limited storage capacity and relatively high cost of the flash memory cards, the graphic files stored on these memory cards must often be erased to provide room for future images, thereby necessitating the use of a computer and its associated high capacity storage devices (e.g., hard drives, read-write CD-ROMs, etc.) by those individuals who desire to archive these images for later printing or use.
Accordingly, there is a continuing need to provide apparatuses and methods for printing images captured by a digital device which are simple to implement and which can operate independently of a computer system while still providing high capacity archival storage and retrieval of data. There is also a continuing need to provide apparatuses and methods for printing digital images having the previously described features which can also provide the capability of interfacing with a computer system in a traditional manner. In other words, there is a desire to provide a single multi-purpose printer rather than multiple special purpose printers. Due to the xe2x80x9cstand-alonexe2x80x9d nature of such a desired printer, there is further a need to provide a printer which is upgradeable so that new graphic file formats and functions can be easily accommodated.
A stand-alone printer is provided having a first drive for receiving a first computer readable medium, wherein the first computer readable medium is capable of storing at least one digital representation (e.g., in the form of a computer graphic file) of an image captured by a digital device and wherein the image has a first horizontal length and a first vertical length inside of which the entire image can be displayed. The first computer readable medium is also adapted to interface with the digital device.
The stand-alone printer includes a printing member for producing on a substrate a pattern associated with the digital representation of the image captured by the digital device and a port for transmitting data to and from the printer. The printer can interface with a second drive through the port, wherein the second drive is interconnected with the printer by a cable so that the first drive and the second drive are in data communication with each other. The stand-alone printer preferably includes a controller having a set of instructions for interpreting the digital representation stored on the first computer readable medium, wherein the controller is adapted to update the set of instructions using data received from one of the first drive or the second drive.
The printer can print the image in a variety of formats. For example, the printer can be adapted to print the image with the first horizontal length and a second vertical length less than the first vertical length so that less than the entire image is printed (i.e., in a panoramic format). In addition, the printer can print the image with a second vertical length less than the first vertical length and a second horizontal length less than the first horizontal length so that less than the entire image is printed, but what is printed is enlarged.